COVID-19 Positive Care Pathways refer to the clinical guidance and support for assessing and managing people who test positive to COVID-19.
With a significant proportion of western Victoria’s population now having received both doses of the COVID vaccines, the severity of the disease in people who test positive is expected to decrease with less requirement for people in our region to be treated in hospital.
Increasingly, the focus for care pathways is to treat COVID positive patients from their homes using remote patient monitoring and telehealth services.
National COVID-19 care guidelines
The National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce has published evidence-based clinical guidelines to support health care professionals in caring for people with COVID-19.
The information also includes clinical flowcharts, evidence they are currently reviewing, and recommendations for preventing infection in health care workers.
View the Caring for People with COVID-19 Guidelines
COVID-19 care pathways in western Victoria
Local COVID-19 care pathways are currently being overseen by western Victoria’s public health units and local health services.
More details are available from the HealthPathways COVID-19 Positive Care in the Community page. Clinicians requiring login access to the HealthPathways website can email healthpathways@westvicphn.com.au
The following services are responsible for care pathways for COVID positive patients residing within the assigned local government areas.
Barwon Southwest Public Health Unit supports patients in:
- City of Greater Geelong
- Borough of Queenscliffe
- Golden Plains Shire
- Surf Coast Shire
- Colac Otway Shire
South West Healthcare supports patients in:
- City of Warrnambool
- Corangamite Shire
- Moyne Shire
- Glenelg Shire
See also, HealthPathways for details of the Barwon South West Public Health Unit’s Remote Patient Monitoring Program (also encompasses South West Healthcare).
Western District Health Service supports patients in:
- Southern Grampians Shire
Grampians Public Health Unit supports patients in:
- City of Ballarat
- Rural City of Horsham
- Rural City of Ararat
- Central Goldfields Shire
- Moorabool Shire
- Hepburn Shire
- Pyrenees Shire
- Northern Grampians Shire
- West Wimmera Shire
- Hindmarsh Shire
- Yarriambiack Shire
Clinical training and resources
Project ECHO COVID-19
Series 7 of our Project ECHO COVID-19 program has focussed on Understanding COVID positive Care Pathways. Access podcasts and videos of the most recent sessions from the Project ECHO COVID-19 page
Safer Care Victoria COVID-19 + Pathways Learning Network
Safer Care Victoria and the Victorian Agency for Health Information have established a learning network of healthcare workers, leaders and consumers to share experiences and support the provision of care to people with COVID-19 in their homes. Access the network
RACGP resources
- Guidelines for supporting patients in their home
- Supporting adult patients after acute COVID-19 illness
Caring for children with COVID-19
Please note, the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce clinical guidelines also cover recommendations specific to the care of children and adolescents with COVID-19.
Other resources:
- HealthPathways COVID-19 Child Assessment and Management
- The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne Clinical Practice Guidelines – COVID-19
Information for patients
- Health Direct | COVID-19 Symptom Checker
- Health Direct | Managing COVID at home
- Your COVID Checklist – What to do if you test positive to COVID
- What to expect when you have COVID-19 (other languages)
- Managing mild COVID-19 at home with assistance from your GP
- Managing common post-COVID-19 symptoms at home
Social and financial support
National, Victoria-wide and localised support services are available for western Victoria residents with COVID-19 and/or who are required to isolate or go into quarantine.
- Services Australia – If you need payment
- Financial and other support for COVID-19
- Isolation and quarantine – extra help and support
- Tips for managing isolation
- Grampians Community Health Home Isolation Support Service
- Western District Health Service Helping Hands Program
- Ballarat Community Health Social Connections Program
- City of Greater Geelong – Frequently asked questions relating to physical and mental health support during the Coronavirus situation.
- Cohealth Family Recovery Program (for culturally and linguistically diverse families)